A goiter is a swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck. It can be caused by an overactive or underactive thyroid. Goiters are more common in women, older people, and those from areas without iodized salt. Small goiters may disappear on their own but large goiters can press on the trachea and cause breathing problems. Treatment options include thyroid medication, surgery to remove parts of the thyroid, or removal of the entire thyroid gland. Preventing iodine deficiency through iodized salt can help prevent endemic goiters.

1. GOITERS
James Cooper
Khoa Le
Andrea Fuentes
Period 1

2. WHAT IS IT?
A goiter is a swelling in the thyroid
gland, which can lead to a swelling of the
neck or larynx (voice box). Goiter is a term
that refers to an enlargement of the thyroid
and can be associated with a thyroid gland
that is functioning properly or not.
 Non-toxic small goiter - the whole thyroid
gland swells. When touched it feels smooth.
 Multinodular goiter - certain parts of the
thyroid gland - nodules - swell. The gland
may feel lumpy when touched.

3. NON-TOXIC VS. MULTINODULAR

4. THE WHAT CONT.
 Signs and symptoms may include a visible
swelling at the base of your neck that may
be particularly obvious when you shave or
put on makeup, a tight feeling in your
throat, coughing, hoarseness, difficulty
swallowing, and difficulty breathing
 Effects of the goiter after removal can
include change in voice because it might
affect the voice box.

5. LOCATION OF A GOIETR

6. THE WHO
 There is no certain age for goiters as it can be
affected in any age range.
 Your chances of developing a
goiter increase with age.
 Because women are more prone
to thyroid disorders, they're also
more likely to develop goiters.

7. THE WHO CONTINUED…
 Goiters are also more common in people who live
in third world countries where the food is not
iodized. This if the case in some places in Asia and
Central Africa.
 In the U.S., where food is iodized,
a goiter is most often due to the over-
or underproduction of thyroid
hormones or to nodules that develop in
the gland itself.

8. WHEN DO GOITERS OCCUR
 Age - people over the age of 50 are significantly
more likely to have goiter compared to younger
people.
 Pregnancy and menopause – Goiters are more
likely to happen after a woman becomes
pregnant, or goes through the menopause.

9. PROGNOSIS WHILE HAVING A GOITER
 Depending on the severity of the Goiter, people can
have two different outlooks on the situation.
 For a simple Goiter, it may disappear on its
own, but it may become larger and over time it may
cause the gland to stop making enough thyroid
hormones for the thyroid, which is also known as
hypothyroidism.

10. WAY OF PREVENTING GOITERS
 A way to prevent the occurrence of endemic colloid
goiter is to take iodized table salt with your food.

11. TREATMENT OF GOITERS
 Ever since ancient times people have had to find
ways of curing Goiters and different methods have
been used.
 The ancient Chinese were the first to find an
effective treatment by using seaweed and burnt
sponge. This treatment was so effective that it
made its way throughout the world to the countries
that had people experience Goiters.
 In the 1800’s surgery was the new way of dealing
with Goiters, where surgeons would remove the
whole thyroid gland. This treatment would cause
the person to survive, but they would experience
dry skin, depression and rapid weight gain.

12. TREATMENT OF GOITERS CONTINUED…
 As surgeons realized that, wasn’t an effective
treatment, they started removing the nodules that
invaded the thyroid gland and even if they weren't
able to save the whole gland, it enabled patients to
make a full recovery.

13. THIS WOULD BE SURGICALLY REMOVED…

14. TREATMENT OF GOITERS CONTINUED…
 Most small to moderate (non-toxic) goiters can be
treated with thyroid hormone in the form of a pill. By
supplying thyroid hormone in this fashion, the
pituitary will make less TSH (thyroid stimulating
hormone), which should result in stabilization in
size of the gland.


15. SOURCES
 Mayo Foundation. (Jan 8 2011). Goiter. In MayoClinic.com.
Retrieved 1998, from
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/goiter/DS00217.
 Norman, J. (8/11/11). Thyroid Goiter. In endocrineweb.com.
Retrieved 1997, from
http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/thyroid-
goiter.
 Hamar, V. (undefined). Kone_med_stor_struma.jpg. In
Kone_med_stor_struma.jpg. Retrieved 23 November
2005, from undefined.
 Brunkhorst, K. (20 Wednesday Oct 2010 ). What is a Goiter?.
In Fruit Root Life. Retrieved 2005, from
http://fruitrootlife.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/what-is-a-goiter-
no-really/.
 Christian Nordqvist. (2009, October 15). "What Is Goiter
(goitre)? What Causes Goiter?." Medical News Today.
Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167559.php.